Of the eight frameworks laid out in Design is the Problem, the best of these is Cradle to Cradle. To explain why, let’s start by creating a clear understanding of this approach.
The Cradle to Cradle framework iterates that since technical materials are not found in nature, then they should not be put back into nature (98). This approach does so by advocating for a questioning and elimination of all toxic materials used in production. There are four basic principles to follow for eliminating toxic waste that are laid out in the Cradle to Cradle approach. These are: elimination of hazardous materials, the idea that “waste equals food”, use of current solar income of energy, and the use of “upcyclable materials.”
The most crucial aspect of this framework is the idea that every material being used can be reused once again. Shedroff states, “We treat the environment not only as an unlimited store where everything is never-ending and practically free, but also as an unlimited trash dump” (100). With this in mind, companies can change their practices and no longer treat the earth as a “trash dump” and work to significantly, if not completely eliminate their waste.
Cradle to Cradle has a certification in place that is used to judge the following criteria: product transparency and human/environmental health characteristics of materials, product reutilization, product energy, water use at manufacturing facility, and social fairness/corporate ethics.
So why is this the best framework? To me the term “best” framework is one that excels in multiple facets of sustainability. Cradle to cradle is not just about environmental efficiency, it also focuses on business functionality, and social and physical health impacts. The fact that this framework is easily combined with other frameworks proves its versatility. Cradle to Cradle is more than just a set of guidelines for a company to follow, it is a change of mindset, a new way of thinking. By allowing companies and producers to come up with their own innovative ways to create zero-waste products, the framework allows for innovation and new ideas.
The idea of “waste as food” was very striking to me. In Global Climate Change, a geology course I took last semester, we talked about how all of the cycles of the earth (water, nitrogen, phosphorous, carbon, etc.) are naturally in a balance where inputs are equal to outputs. Human emissions, however, have added inputs to these cycles that the biosphere cannot account for and are the key causes of climate change. Thinking of waste as food and implementing this upcycling of materials so that we can continue to use the same materials over and over again without adding to these environmental systems can and will be a crucial step to helping with and preventing climate change from worsening. As a direct result of cleaner processes and zero-waste, the physical health of our populations will get better, aiding in both the physical and social aspects of human life. Alas, by changing our mindset to one of zero-waste production and allowing for variability and creativity in the business industry, Cradle to Cradle is an approach that is not only environmentally sustainable, but economically and socially as well.
And therefore, the best.